Guide to a City of London Career

For years now, London ‘s population has been growing exponentially – but the growth in earnings and productivity has been even faster, and the City of London is at the very heart of it. Despite the fact that less than 10,000 people actually live in this thriving area, The City’s workforce is 300,000-strong and generates almost three-quarters of Britain ‘s entire GDP before heading back home for their supper. With all of this going on it’s no wonder that more and more students are thinking of pursuing a career in The City, but don’t quite know how to get there. Here’s a guide to help you put your best foot forward and make your City career dreams a reality.

Tailor Your Applications

With the sheer amount of competition for most jobs in this prestigious business hub, it’s absolutely vital that you’re tailoring your applications as much as possible to the job you’re applying for. No doubt you will have heard the horror stories of new graduates sending out hundreds of applications before they even get their first interview, but this is usually the result of a scattergun approach – sending generic CVs into the ether rather than sitting down and really considering why you’re right for the job. Carefully tailored applications are far more likely to get you an interview, so think quality not quantity.

When it comes to completing a stand out application you may need to display the same stamina and determination you showed in completing your studies, to let the employer know just how diligent an employee you’d be. Getting it right will take time, you’ll need to thoroughly research the company and position you’re applying to, and explain why the skills and experience you have a relevant to their needs. Be discerning about where you invest your energy – it’ll be worth it.

Make it Clear

While you want to impress your potential employer, they’re not looking for every detail of your life – just those skills and experiences that are going to be relevant to your work should they give you the job. So it’s really important to consider how what you’re including is fulfilling this, and to make it clear to the employer. This isn’t a subtle essay full of impressive language, it’s a sales pitch – show them what they would gain by hiring you rather than anyone else. Prospective employers are looking for evidence of how you are likely to behave at work, so as well as displaying your knowledge of their industry and business, you need to be reflecting the extra skills and competencies needed for the job are firmly in your repertoire.

Don’t be afraid of being too obvious with this – be specific about how any extracurricular experience adds value to your skillsets and professional profile, and gather your strongest evidence, examples or case studies that prove the point, as you may well be asked to justify your claims if you get to interview.

Tags: careers

Category: College and Careers